The Pittsburgh Steelers always play their divisional rivals twice a season, but for one team, it feels like they see more of them than anyone else outside of the division. That team is the Las Vegas Raiders. The Steelers have played the Raiders in each of the last four seasons, going 3-1 during that time. The games are usually closer than they should be, aside from the Steelers' dominating 32-13 victory over Las Vegas during the 2024 season. The Steelers struggled more against Las Vegas when they were coached by Jon Gruden, who was 2-0 against Pittsburgh during his last stint as the Raiders head coach.
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Former Raiders Head Coach Jon Gruden during the 2021 season.
Gruden was one of the most entertaining head coaches in the league during his career. He last coached with the Raiders in 2021 after getting the job in 2018. He has worked as a consultant for some teams since then, but he currently works with Barstool Sports as a content creator. Gruden has continued his old segment, Gruden's Grinders, and Pittsburgh's kicker Chris Boswell was named as one of the top grinders of Week 11.
"The Pittsburgh Steelers are full of Gruden's grinders, but nobody does it like their kicker Chris Boswell," Gruden said. "I mean this guy is a freaking terminator man. Six for six against the Ravens. He accounted for all 18 points and one of them was a 57-yard bomb."
Boswell has been special for the Steelers during the 2024 season. He kicked six field goals and accounted for every point during the Steelers' Week 11 victory over the Baltimore Ravens. This was the second time Boswell did this in 2024, as he did it in a win over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1 as well. The kicker has been one of the best in the league over the last several seasons, and now it seems he is finally getting the national recognition he deserves.
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Former Las Vegas Raiders Head Coach Jon Gruden ahead of a game against the Baltimore Ravens.
Gruden clearly respects Boswell's ability to step up in big moments for the Steelers, and he understands how important he is to the team. Gruden recalled a time when he iced Boswell during a game, and Boswell had some words for the coach.
"I took a timeout one time to ice Boswell," Gruden said. "He walked over to me and said, 'Are you out of your mind?' I love Chris Boswell."
Boswell didn't have much luck kicking against Gruden's Raiders. When the two sides met during the 2018 season, Boswell missed two field goals in a three point loss. He lost his footing on the game-tying 40-yard field goal as time expired, and Gruden got the victory. Boswell bounced back during the 2021 season and attempted one 56-yard field goal and made it, but Pittsburgh still dropped the game by a score of 26-17.
It is unclear in which game this happened between Gruden and Boswell, but it had to of been during either of those two games which both went to the Raiders.
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Steelers' Mike Tomlin coaching his team during a home game against the New York Jets.
Steelers Could Have Brought In Jon Gruden During The 2024 Offseason
The Steelers had an issue at offensive coordinator during the 2023 season, and it became clear that former Offensive Coordinator Matt Canada would not be with the team in 2024. He didn't even make in until the end of the 2023 season before being fired. Speculation quickly began about who the next offensive coordinator would be in Pittsburgh, and Gruden was a name that was brought up a good amount.
Tomlin and Gruden are considered to be close, especially since the two coached together with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the early-2000s. Obviously Pittsburgh went in a different direction and chose to hire Arthur Smith, but there was a moment where it seemed like Gruden could have joined Pittsburgh's coaching staff.
What do you think about Gruden's interaction with Boswell? Let us know in the comments below!
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